Motion-picture-printing machine.



I. TESSIER.

MOTION PICTURE PRINTING MACHINE.

APPLlcMloN FILED Aus.21-. |914.

' Patented NOV. 2, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

A fr0/MEV.

1. TEsslER. MOTION PICTURE PRINTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-ZI; I9-I4.

l @M5826 19mm@ Nom 21, im@

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2- Illy/1500.

;J. TESSIER.

MOTION .PICTURE PRINTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AuG.2I. 1914. f

EI. @@5582. Paume@ NIW. 21, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

IIIIIIIIIIy j@ I. TESSIER. IvIoTIoIII PICTURE PRINTING MACHINE. Y APPLICATION E'ILED Au@.'2I.'I9I4. 1,9%@5958255 EaIQn'IEE Nov.. 21, E916.

. 4- SHEETS-SHEET lll 'nunnnfnnuuuUEIEIEIUEIEIUIJEIEIU nnnnnnquonu L Afro/INEI.

JULEN TESSIER, GF .PHLDELPH1\, PENNSYLVANA, ASSIGNR T0 LUBN F17 COILFANY, GF FHILADELPHIA. PENNSYLVANIA, A CRPORATION @F PENNS 'VAN Patented Blot'. 2i, it r Application led August 2, 191e. Serial No. 257,830.

To ZZ 072cm it may concern y Be it knoivn that 1, JULIEN Tessina. a citi- Zen of France. residing in the city oit Philadelphia. county of'v Philadelphia, and State ot' Pennsylvania. have invented certain 1inprovements in Motion-Ficture-Frinting Machines. of 'which the following is aA specioation.

1n motion picture photography. dierent parts of the saine subject are very commonly photographed at different times or under different conditions. so that different sections of' the negative film are subjected to different exposures and have different densities which must be corrected or compensated for in printing the positives from the negatives in order to have uniformity in the projected pictures.

1t is the leading object of my invention lto provide a printing machine ivhich is adapted to be adjusted initially and to be automatically operated so that the .light used in printing will be proportioned to the density ot' the film section and the positive produced vvill be uniform in character, to the end that printing` may be eli'ected ivith iinproved results aiid ivithout the loss'of time that has heretofore obtained.

ln the accompanying di'aivings. Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a printing machine embodying my invention: Fig. 2 is a part sectional front elevation of the same with parts broken away and the front of the cases removed; Fig. 3 is an elevation of the revoliible light disk provided vvith slides for regulating` the amount of light passed for use in printing; Fig. l' is a broken sectional vieu' taken on the line .l-l of Fig. 3'; Fig. 5 is an enlarged vieiv taken on the line 5&5 of Fig. 1; Fig. G is a vievv of details partly in section taken on the line 6 6 ot' Fig. 5;"

Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional vievv taken on the line T T of Fig. Q; Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 8 8 of Fig.

1: Fig. 9 is a vieiv of a cam Wheel and con-` nections from the section line 9-9 of Fig. 7 Fig. 10 is avievv of a section of film adapted to be used with my improvements; and Fig. 1l is a vieiv of a dial for indicating theposition of the apertured disk for regulating the amount of light used. n

The mechanism. as illustrated in the drawings. comprises the case or housev 1 which knaled in bearings el() on the plate l5.

which is draivn therefrom over the rollers i and 5, and the spool 6 for the negative film T which is drawn therefrom over the roller 8. the films passing .from the rollers through the aperture 9 in the bottoni of the case. case or house 10 supports the case 1, contains atop aperture 1l ivhich registers vvith 'the aperture 9 and is provided With a bottoni aperture 12. the films being dravvn fi'om'the spools, over the rollers and through the apertures inthe operation of printing.

A. trame 13 is contained in the case 10 and has the door 1l hinged on its front plate l5, the films passing betvveen the plate and the closed door in the operation of printing.

An arbor 18 is journaled in the frame and has fixed thereon the wheels 1T and 18, the latter being provided ivith the light apertures 18 and driven by a belt 19. As the vvheael 1T revolves, a cani 20 thereon reciprocates the yoke 21 vvhich is controlled by the vertical guides 22 and 79' and provided vvith the laterally projectingbearings or lugs Q3 for engaging the periphery of the cani. A yoke 2l is carried by the yoke '21. engages the peripheral cain of the vfheel 1T and carries the pins 26 which engage the perforations T along the edge of the films to feed the latter in a ivell knoivii manner, the shutter wheel 18 cutting o the light when the films are moving and passing light when they are at rest. f

A lever 2T has the fulcrum 28 on the frame the pin 34: and connected by a vlink 37 withV an arm 38 fixed on a shaft 39 which is jour- A shoe -ll is fixed on the shaft 39 and provided yvith the toes -lwhich ride on the edges of the negative film, over the perforations T', but drop into the slots/7 formed in a pre-k determined inanner'in the edges of film sections of different densities, the member 1 being rocked by the spring and the intermediate lmechanism when the odset section ot thelcanji 25 registers with the roller 29. il! hen it is desired to hold this mechanism out of operation, a dog e3, pivoted on the plate 15, is engaged in the notch 44 of the link 31.

A shaft 45 is j ournaled in the bearings 46 and 46 and has the arms V47 and 48 fixed thereon. vAn arm 49 is pivoted on the arm 47 and is further connected with a laterally extending projection on the arm 47 by a coiled spring 50, the latter passing through the arm` 47.

The wheel 18 is provided with a roller or rolling cam 51, adapted to engage the arm 49 and cause it to rock the arms 47 and 48, and with a cam52 adapted for throwing the arm 49 away from the roller into engagement with the catch 53 whichis pivoted on the bearing '54 and normally held against the stop'55 by the spring 56.l A coupling 57 is pivotally connected with the catch 53'by the `pin 58 and with the link 59 by a, pin 60 disposed transversely to the pin 58; and a coupling 61 is pivotally connected with the link by a pin 62 and with 'a rocker arm 63 by a pin 64 disposed transversely to the pin 62. The arm 63 is j ournaled on a pin 65 on which it is held by a collar 66, the pin being movable in the bearing 54 and supported by a knuckle 67. A coupling 68 is pivotally connectedv with 'the knuckle 67 and with an angular block 69 which is pivoted on a lever 70. Thelever 70 is pivoted at one end on the bearing 71 and at its other end engages a seat 72 on one end of a lever 73, the other end of which is pivoted'on the bearing 74.

The lever 73l rests on the roller 27 on the top of the lever 27,` the former lever having the steps 7 3 and 7 3" Which'engage the roller 27 -in the different positions of the lever 27. Y

Zhen `the` cam 25 rocks the lever 27 against the action of the spring 30, so that the ltoes 42 are 4'drawn back from the film 3, the step 73 is engaged by the roller 27 to hold thelevers n7 3 and 7 0,together with the members 69, 68 and 63 in -their elevated position, so that the cam 75 on the wheel 18 clears the arm 63. When the 'cam' 25- has turned so that its offset section permits the spring 30 to rock the lever 27, the roller 27 .can be swung ,under the notch 73, whereupon the levers 73 'and 70, `together with the members 69, 68, 67 and 63 fall and the arm 63 is held in the path of the cam 75. When the cam 75 engages the arm 63,

the latter is rocked and acts through the intermedlate parts to draw back the catch 53, whereupon the spring pulls the arm i 49 into position to be engaged by the roller carriage and acts to draw the former down,

it being elevated by the rod 79. The rockeris provided with the pawls 83 and notches 84 adapted for engaging trundles 85 of the lantern wheel 85 carried bythe spindle 86 which is journaled. on` the carriage 81, the wheel being revolved stepl by step by the oscillation of the rocker which locks it in its successive positions.

The spindle 86, which carries the wheel 85, has fixed thereon a disk 88 containing radial slots 89 and guides 90. In these guides are movable slides 91 having radial slots 92 of varying size corresponding to the numbers 1 to 12 thereon, the slides being held inposition by studs 93 and 94, the latter supported by springs 94" so as to be movable away from the slides.

The disk 88, which is adapted to be turned intermittently by the action of the arm or lever 49 through the related mechanism described, is also adapted to be operated by ahandflever 95 having the fulcrlun 96 and connected with the arm 48 by a link 97. The lever 95 is connected by a link 98 with a double toothed pawl 99 which acts on the trundles 100'of a, dial 101 which carries the lnumerals 1 to 12 arranged in correspondence with the like numerals on the disk 88.

Theca-rriage 81, movable on .ways 102, is moved by afrack 103 thereon which is engaged by a pinion 104 fixed on'a journaled shaft 105. The shaft has an indicating arm 106 fixed thereon, movable over a fixed dial 107 and adapted to be fixed thereto by the clamp screw 108 which passes through the slot 109i'n the dial. A lamp 110 is mounted Onithe carriage 81, being movable on the ways-111 thereof relatively to the disk 88. The lamps light aperture 112 is in line with the disk 88s top aperture, which is at rest in a vertical diameter of the disk, and with the aperture 15 in the plate 15 over which the films are moved intermittently. It will be understood that the adjustments of the carriage 81 and the lamp 110 permit compensation to be made for variations in the candle power of the light used for printingv and that the light apertures of the disk cut off light so that the same shall be proportionate to the densities of the film sections previously arranged and perforated.

The hn 7 having been madefup by combining sections of different densities, such film is arranged on the spool 6 and drawn therefrom as the blank film 3 is drawn from the spool 2, the two vpassing between the door 14 and the plate 15, past the light aperture 15. l

In order to initially adjust the mechanism for accommodation to the densities of the negative, the hand lever 95 is operated to turn the dial 101 (through the action of the parts' 98 andy 99) and the disk 88 (through the action of the parts 97, 48, to, 7G, 77, 78,

79, 80, 85, and 86) until the numeral displayed at the top of the dial indicates that the desired light aperture of the disk is in line with the lamp aperture 112.- l`he apparatus being thus adjusted, the films hold the toes -12 of the member l in their retracted position and the member all acts (through the parts 39, 38, 37, 3G, 34e, 33, and 31) to hold the lever 27 in the position shown in Fig. 7, where the roller 27 engages the step 73 and holds in the elevated position the parts 73, 70, o9, G8, G7, and o3. lilith the mechanism-in this position, the arm -l-9,'

- the shutter wheel 18.

'W hen a lm section of diderent density passes under the toes a2, the latter drop into the slots 7 simultaneously with the registration of the offset part of the cam 25 with the roller 28, whereupon the spring 30 throws the lever 27,; the roller 27 is moved from the step 73 to a point below the step 73; the part 73, together with the parts connecting it with the arm o3, drops so that the latter is brought into position to be actuated by the cam 7 5, and the arm 63 is caused to act through the intermediate mechanism on the latch 53 to release the lever 49. rlhe spring now draws the lever 49 into the path of the roller 51, which causes the lever to rock the arm 47, whereby the disk 88 is turned, as previously described, to present in front of the lamp the next light aperture adapted for passing the light required for the particular density of the film. lt will be understood that the slides 91 have been arranged initially insequence so that each forward step of the disk 88 will present a light aperture corresponding to the density of the negative section which `is being transferred to the positive film.

Having described my invention, ll claim:

1. ln a motion-picture machine, driving mechanism, film feeding devices operated by said mechanism, alight regulator, and vmeans controlled by a film carried by said devices whereby said driving mechanism is connected with and operates said regulator intermittently. v

2. ln a motion picture machine, nlm feeding devices, a light regulator, a revoluble device, means whereby said revoluble device operates said regulator, and means normally supported by a film carried by said film feeding devices for rendering said 4first named means inoperative.

3. ln` a motion picture machine, a light regulator, an actuating device,'mechanism comprising a rocking member whereby said device operates saidregulator, and means for moving said member into and out of position to be operated upon by said device.

ei. fr. motion picture printing machine provided with a shutter having agertures of diderent sizes for passing light to intermittently moving films, one of which has sections of different densities and is provided with perfor-ations and mechanism comprising a lever coacting with the film aforesaid having perfor-ations therein for shifting said shutter so as to position an aperture thereof adapted for passing the amount of light desired for printing from a coordinated film section.

5. A motion picture printing machine provided with a shutter having means for passing diderent amounts of light to intermittently moving olms, one of said films having sections of different densities and containing perforations coordinated with said Y sections, and means with which said perforated film cooperates to shift said shutter and position means for passing the amount of light required by the density of the film section, said means comprising a lever mechanism adapted to contact with said perforated film so that it can be shifted when registering with perforations thereof, a cam for rocking said lever mechanism, a second lever mechanism acting in coordination with said lever mechanism rst named to throw a catch, an arm adapted to be held out of operative position by said catch until the latter is thrown` a wheel b v which said arm is rocked` and means operated by the arm for adjusting the position of the shutter.

6. A motion picture printing machine provided with a shutter having apertures of different sizes for passing diderent amounts of light to intermittently moving films, onel of which has sections of different densities and contains perforations coordinated with said sections, and means with which said film last named cooperates to shift said shutterV and position apertures for passing the amount of light required by the different densities of the different film sections, said means comprising automatically acting mechanism having a part bearing on said perforated 'film and adapted 'to enter perforations thereof to coordinate the mechanismis action with the density of a corresponding film section, a catch thrown by said mechanism, an arm automatically thrown when disengaged by throwing the catch, a wheel having a. device for causing the arm to rock a shaft vand a cam for throwing the arm into engagement with the catch out of the path of the device, and mechanism operated by the shaft for shifting tlieshutter and positioning the'apertures thereof.

7. The combination of a driving shaft, film feeding mechanism operated by said shaft, means for projecting light on a section of film fed by said mechanism, and means operated through said shaft under the control of said film for varying the amount of light projected as the density of said lm changes.

8. The combination of film feeding devices, a driving Wheel for operating said devices, means for projecting light on a section of film fed by said devices, a shutter having means for regulating the amount of light prpjected on said film, and means operated by said driving Wheel for. operating said shutter intermittently.

9. The combination, in a pliotogiaphic printing mechanism, of a film, mechanism for projecting light on a section of said film, a device "for varying the amount of light projected on said` film, and means operated under control of said film for operating said Y device, said means comprising revoluble cam mechanism and an arm movable about transverse axes by cams of said last'named mech# anism whereby said means are thrown into and vout of position for operating said device. j

10. The combination, in` a photographie printing machine, of a film, mechanism for vprojecting light on a section of said film,

a device for varying the amount of light projected on said film, means comprising a shaft for operating said device, an arm adapted for turning said shaft, a revolving member adapted for rocking ,sa arm to effect the turning of said shaft anda cam for moving said arm out of the path of said member to prevent the operation of said device.

11. The combination, in a photographic printing machine, of a film, mechanism for projecting light on a section of. said film, a device for varying the amount of light projected on said film, and means for operating said device to automatically vary 'the light in a predetermined manner, said meanscomprising an "arm adapted to rock in transverse directions, a revoluble member for rocking said arm to effect the movement of said device, and a revoluble member for rocking said arm to prevent its engagementby said member first named.

12. The combination, in `a photographic printing machine, ofv mechanism for regu-.

lating light projected for the printing operation, and means for effectingl a controlled operation of said, mechanism, said means comprising a revoluble Wheel having cams.'

thereon, an armv adaptedio be moved by one of said ca ms to effect an operation of said mechanism and by lanother of said cams to prevent the operation of said mechanism, a device for engaging and holding said arm out of the path of theA cam for effecting its first named movement, and means for disengaging said device at predetermined intervals to permit said arm to be operated by the cam first specified.

13. The combination, in a photographic printing machine, of mechanism for projecting light for the printing operation, means comprising a ldevice having variable apertures for regulatingvthe light projected for said printing operation, a revoluble wheel, `an arm adapted to move in transverse directions for moving and avoiding the movenient of said means, a part on said Wheel for operating-said arm to effect the movement of sa'id means, a cam on said wheel for mov? ling said arm out of position for engaging said partto avoid the operation of 'said means, a catch for holding said arm when thrown by ,said cam, al second cam on said wheel, and means whereby said second cam is caused to operate said catch at predetermined intervals to release, said '-/arm and permit. the operation of said means first' named thereby.

14. The combination, in a photographic" printing machine, of a film, means for feedingsaid film, means for projecting lightvon said film, and light regulating meansoperated by said film, said regulating means comprising a shaft, a device connected with said shaft for turning it, a' Wheel, a part on said'wheel for operating! said device to turn said shaft, a catch, a second part on said Wheel for throwing said device outfof the path of said partirst named and into engagement with said catch, mechanism for moving said catch to release said device, a third part on said Wheel for operating said mechanism, a cam revoluble With said Wheel, and means comprising members controlled ,by said cam and film whereby saidsmechanismis moved'into andout of position to be engaged by said third part.

15. The combination, in a photographic i printing machine, 0f afilm, mea'ns for feeding said film, means forr projecting light on said film, and light regulating means operated by said film, said regulating means comprising a rock shaft, an arm connected with said shaft, a second arm pivoted to said first arm, a catch, a Wheel, a part on. said wheel for engaging said second arm to rock said arms andlshaft, a second part on said wheel for throwing saidsecond a'rm out of the path of said firstj part into engagement Y i with said'catch, mechanism connected with said catch for disengaging it, al third part on said Wheel for operating said mechanism\ to Withdraw said catch, devices for shifting said lmechanism out of and into the path of said third part, a revoluble cam, and means Y comprising a part operated under control of said film and a part operated under control of said cam for shifting the positionof said devices.

16. The combination, in a photographic printing machine, of a film, means for feeding said film, means for projecting light on said film, and light regulating means operated under control of said film in a predetermined. manner, said regulating means comprising a revoluble device having variable light apertures adapted to be adjusted to the densities of different sections of said film, a ratchet mechanism for giving a Step j having a cam thereon, a rocker arm, means.

said film, said light regulating means com-.

prising devices arranged in sequence for passing therethrough light proportional to densities of said film, said devices being movable to change the sequence thereof.

18. The combination, in a photographic printing machine, of a film containing slots' arranged in a predetermined manner, means for feeding said film, a shoe adapted to ride on said film, and to enterL said slots, a revoluble cam, mechanism connecting said shoe and cam whereby saidcam withdraws said shoe from said slots, a `revoluble wheel controlled by said mechanism whereby said rocker arm is shifted into and out of the path of said cam, a revoluble device containing variable light apertures for regulating the amount .of light passed for printing,`

means comprising a `secondv cam on said wheel for `turning'said device, mechanism comprising a third cam on said wheel for throwing said means last named out of position to be' operated by said second cam, and

- means whereby said arm releases said last named mechanism.

. 19. The combination, in a photographic printing machine, of a carriage, means for noving said carriage, adisk journaled on j said carriage, vapertured 2'slides carried by mechanism adapted for operating said ratchet mechanism, said rocking mechanism having an actuating member, a Wheel having a cam for operating said actuating member, a cam on Said Wheel for throwing said actuating member away from said cam first named to inoperative position, means for holding said actuating member in said inoperative position, a film, a second wheel provided with a cam and means whereby said last named wheel and said film release said actuating member.

20. The combination, in a photographic printing machine, of a carriage, a lamp carried thereby, a disk journaled on said carriage and having variable light apertures adapted to be brought in range with said lamp, a ratchet mechanism carried-by said carriage and adapted to turn said disk, a

rack and pinion adapted for moving said carriage, means for indicating the position of said carriage, and means for fixing the position of said carriage.

21. The combination, in a photographic printing machine, of a lamp, a journaled device having variable light apertures adapted to be brought in range with said lamp, indicating mechanism comprising a revoluble apertures and means whereby said dial and indicating mechanism are operated together. 3 y

22. The combination, in a photographic printing machine, of a lamp, a journaled device having lightdapertures of vdifferent areas adapted to be lbrought into range with said lamp, a dial having indicia corresponding-to said apertures, mechanism connecting said dia-l and device to effect their .device having indicia corresponding to said synchronous operation, and a handle f or operating said device and dial together.

In'testimony whereof I have hereunto set my name this 18th day of August, 1914, in

the presence of the subscribing witnesses. J. TESSIER. v Witnesses:

Jos. G. DENNY, Jr., K. H.l HUs'roN. 

